FITUR attracts new markets

The 37th staging of the International Tourism Trade Fair organised by IFEMA, FITUR will be held at Feria de Madrid from January 18-22. It will attract the worldwide tourism industry and confirm the trends that will set the pace for the entire 2017. Ana Larrañaga, Director, FITUR, shares with TravTalk.

TT Bureau

The trade fair will kick off with the intent and means to beat expectations, which keep rising every passing year. The last trade show broke a new record in participation, with a total of 231,872 visitors, of whom 124,659 were trade professionals, representing a 2 per cent increase over 2015. The number of companies participating in the trade fair amounted to 9,605, coming from a total of 165 countries.

Larranaga shares, “While it is still early for making a comprehensive balance of all the exhibitors due to be present at FITUR, I can tell you that each year we work towards boosting yet further the high international participation that the trade fair usually enjoys and, in this regard, the presence of countries from the area you mention will once again have considerable importance at the Event.”
Prominent among the novelties at this staging of FITUR is the designation of the Trade Fair by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as the venue for the kick-off celebrations of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development declared by the United Nations Organisation. Another of the novelties is the FITURTECH specialised section which this year will adopt a new approach, with four independent forums associated with technology and tourism revolving around enterprise, destination, sustainability and future trends.
For its part, FITUR KNOW-HOW & EXPORT will again promote expertise, knowledge and higher-quality tourist services and products among buyers from international markets. This is all rounded off with the rest of the specialised sections such as FITUR SHOPPING, FITUR HEALTH and FITUR GAY (LGBT). The expectations which FITUR generates among stand holders, trade and visitors are ever increasing. What is more, for trade professionals and exhibitors, the fair is clearly focused on generating business, multiplying opportunities also thanks to the professional workshops and meetings which we organise as well as the professional pre-arranged B2B appointments, Workshop Hosted Buyers, Invest our África, etc.